USDA zone 5a planting guide
Zone 5a means an average annual winter low of -20°F to -15°F. That coldest-temperature band describes winter cold tolerance. Frost dates and growing-season length come separately from NOAA climate normals.
A typical location in zone 5a sees its last spring frost around May 3 and its first fall frost around October 5. Pick a crop for its zone 5a planting dates, or get dates for your exact ZIP.
Zone 5a by month
Open the months with enough source-backed tasks for a useful zone 5a checklist.
The zone 5a planting year
When to start, transplant, sow, and harvest each crop in a typical zone 5alocation. Tap a crop for its full guide.
Augustthis month
Active now· 10
- Sweet CornHarvestJuly 2 – August 15
- LettuceFall plantingJuly 6 – August 10
- PumpkinHarvestJuly 12 – September 14
- KohlrabiFall plantingJuly 13 – August 10
- RomanescoHarvestJuly 17 – August 11
- ParsnipHarvestJuly 21 – August 17
- CabbageFall plantingJuly 27 – August 31
- CauliflowerFall plantingJuly 27 – August 31
- SpinachFall plantingJuly 27 – August 31
- WatermelonHarvestJuly 27 – August 15
Later this month· 2
Earlier this month · 1
Browse all 69 zone 5a crop guidesComplete directory
- Ageratum
- Annual Salvia (Scarlet Sage)
- Bachelors Button
- Basil
- Beet
- Bitter Melon
- Black-Eyed Susan
- Bok Choy
- Borage
- Broccoli
- Brussels Sprouts
- Cabbage
- Cantaloupe
- Carrot
- Cauliflower
- Celeriac
- Collards
- Cosmos
- Cucamelon
- Cucumber
- Dahlia
- Dill
- Eggplant
- English Lavender
- Fennel
- Forget-me-not
- French Sorrel
- French Tarragon
- Garlic
- German Chamomile
- Globe Amaranth
- Globe Artichoke
- Green Bean (Snap Bean)
- Ground Cherry
- Impatiens
- Kale
- Kohlrabi
- Lettuce
- Luffa Gourd
- Malabar Spinach
- Marigold
- Mexican Sunflower
- Moonflower
- Mustard Greens
- Nasturtium
- New Zealand Spinach
- Parsley
- Parsnip
- Pepper
- Petunia
- Potato
- Pumpkin
- Radish
- Rhubarb
- Romanesco
- Rutabaga
- Spinach
- Stock
- Sunflower
- Sweet Alyssum
- Sweet Corn
- Sweet Marjoram
- Swiss Chard
- Tomatillo
- Tomato
- Watermelon
- Wax Begonia
- Winter Squash
- Zucchini
Not sure which zone you are in?
Browsing zone 5a but not sure it's yours? Enter your ZIP and we will confirm your USDA zone and pull your nearest station's frost dates.
USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map, 2023. USDA Agricultural Research Service / Oregon State University PRISM Group. NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020. Zone dates are medians across the zone; your town varies.